Today in the 1770s: November 6

WILLIAMSBURG, November 6, 1777.
The subscriber begs Leave to inform the Public in general, and her Friends in particular, that she has opened a store opposite Mr. John Greenhow's, near the Market Square, where the purposes to sell there shall be the greatest Care and Assiduity to execute their Commands with Despatch and Punctuality. She has now on Hand the following Articles, for ready Money only, viz....Elegant Paste Necklaces, Earrings, Shoe and Knee Buckles, Pinchback Watches, Men and Womens Watch Chains, Keys, Seals, and Crystals, a few Materials for Watch-Makers, Sleeve and Coat Buttons, Silver Toothpick Cases, Gold and Silver Lace, Pocket Pistols, best Ivory Handle Knives and Forks, Cut Glass Castors, with silver Tops, ornamental, Tea and Table China Bowls, etc. Glass and Queen's Ware, a neat Tea Urn, with a Mohogany Stand, a Mohogany Tea Tray, German Flute, Guitar, Backgammon Table, Table Linen, Osnabrugs, Virginia Cloth, Cambrick, Lawn, Calicoes, Virginia Counterpanes, Ladies Riding Hats and Feathers, Velvet Collars, Feather Muff, Wearing Apparel, Household Furniture, etc. etc.-- Old Peach and Apple Brandy, old Jamaica spirits, Holland Geneva, fine Stomachick Cordial, old Madeira and old Bourdeaux Claret in Bottles, Chocolate, etc. etc. with many other Articles too tedious to enumerate.
ANN NEILL.

About this entry:

Ann Neill's store was probably located in space she rented from James Geddy whose property was on the Duke of Gloucester Street and the corner of Palace Street. In July of 1777, Mrs. Neill advertised that she would give guitar lessons at her home "on Palace Street", and she was mentioned in Ebenezer Hazard's diary as a partcipant in an entertainment he attended at the Capitol. Little is known about Ann Neill who came to Williamsburg after living with the family of Colonel Warner Lewis in Gloucester. In 1776 she had advertised her intention to open a boarding school in Williamsburg but those plans were never realized. She may have been a spinster governess with the Lewis family who tried to support herself by moving to Williamsburg and assuming a married name.

About

Intended to provide a glimpse into the breadth of subject matter in the Gazette, excerpts from the 18th-century Virginia Gazette have been chosen for every day of the year and annotated by staff of the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library.

Each entry reflects an event that
happened on a particular day (or something published on a particular day).